Improvement in disintegrating vegetable fibers for paper-pulps



WQRIDDELLS 1 6 8 3 PATENTE AUG 11,871

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UNITED STATES PATENT QTTIGE.

WILLIAM RIDDELL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,683, dated Augustl, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM RIDDELI., of London, England, civilengineer, have invented certain improved processes and apparatus fordisintegrating, softening, wa ng, and bleaching wood, straw, espartograss, and other vegetable fibers, and for extracting resin, silica, orother substances therefrom, which invention is chiefly designed formanufacturing such fibers into paperpulp, of which the following is aspeciiication:

My invention is chieiiy designed for the production of paper-pulp orhalf-stuff from wood and various other vegetable iibers; but the saidinvention also supplies the means for advantageously retting iiax,developing and cleaning rhea grass and ramme, and for preparing1 forbleaching and bleaching wood straw, esparto grass,

palm grass, New Zealand iiax, aloes, maize, ricestraw, stringy bark,Manila, jute, Adamsonia, gunny, and various other vegetable iibers 5 andduring and by the same processes I extract from these various materialsresin, silica, dextrinawax, various acids and alkalies, and othersubstances found combined with these different fibers in variousproportions, which substances may be after-V ward employed for manycommercial purposes not forming a part of this invention.

Figure 1 is a plan of an apparatus which I use for reducing wood tofilaments. Fig. 2 is a lon gitudinal vertical section on the line x Fig.l. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the vessels used in myprocess for extracting the resin, silica, and other matters contained inthe fibers.

In the manufacture of wood into paper-pulp, according to my invention,the first operation is the reduction of the wood into thin filaments,shavings, or chips. I accomplish this operation by the apparatus shownin Figs. l and 2. This apparatus has a series of verticalmarking-blades, a, and horizontal plane-irons b. The blades a areseparated by division-plates a. These blades and planes are iixed on areciprocating table, c; the wood to be cut is placed in the stationarybottomless box c and is pressed down by a weight or lever. The blades acut incisions in the wood to any required depth, which depth isregulated by raising or lowering the blades. 'Io enable this to be donethe said blades are iixed, by means of a feather, on the bar or spindled, and they are secured together by the rod e. Underneath this series ofblades is a drum, f, placed eccentrically on the shaft f1, on which iskeyed a toothed wheel,

f2, controlled by a pinion, f3, or other suitable device, by turningwhich the blades are adjusted to the proper height above the level ofthe table. These blades proj ect through the reciprocating table c infront of the plane-irons b, which are set to any required depth, andwhich, as the table moves under the box, shave off laments from the woodin the box, the said filaments being received in a proper receptacleunder the table; or

the said apparatus may have a series of cutting revolving disks insteadof the adjustable blades a; or the cutting-blades or disks andplaneirons may be fixed in a stationary table or frame, the balks,deals, or other pieces of timber being moved over them by rollers,drums, or other suitable means. The said apparatus, besides its use forcutting the wood into filaments or shavings to be afterward treated asherein set forth, may be advantageously employed in the manufacture ofmatch-splints. rIhe iilaments of wood or other fibers to be operatedupon are then placed in the cage A, Fig. 3. This cage is made of sheetor plateiron or other suitable metal. It is open at the top, and isfitted with a bottom piece, Af, of perforated metal or wood, or ofwire-gauze. This cage is formed to t a strong cylindrical vessel, B,made of boiler-plate or other suitable metal. At the top of the cage A,between the same and the outer cylindrical vessel B, is a packing, (l,of India rubber or other suitable material, which prevents the passageof the steam or liquor between the cage and the outer vessel. Itin s orother suitable contrivances are fixed at the top of the cage A toenable'it to be lifted to place it in or remove it from the outervessel, for which purpose I may use any suitable apparatus. Thecylindrical vessel B has a conical or egg-shaped bottom, B1, and arounded or domed top, B2. In the bottom is fixed a discharge-pipe, E,fitted with a tap or valve.` A waste-pipe, F, provided with a tap, isalso tted in this bottom at such a height as to leave about six inchesof liquor in the vessel B. Another pipe, G, also provided with astop-cock, .is fitted in the bottom B1, and this pipe is attached to anair-pump of any suitable construction. The top B2 of this vessel isfitted with a safety-valve, H. A vertical tube, I, open at both ends, ispassed through the center of the cage A. The top of this tube must be afew inches above the top of the cage andthe bottom must be at least twoinches below the wastepipe F. Over the tube I, and from four to sixinches above the same, is a domed iron plate, J, which is suspended overor supported on the cage, and is of the same diameter as the said cage.Steam ofl any required pressure is admitted into the vessel B by a pipe,K, which is turned a little upward at the end K under the dome J inorder to spread the steam over the top surface of the con.- tents of thecage. Apipe, L, serves to admit water or liquor for washing or preparingthe material. The end L of this pipe is also turned upward under thedome J for the purpose of distributing the water or liquor equally overthe contents of the cage. Around the cylindrical portion ofthe vessel Bis an annular jacket or casing, M, for containing water. This casing isopen at the top, and has a waste-pipe, N, and tap. A pipe, O, serves forblowing steam into this casing, or may be connected with a worm forboiling or heating the water contained therein to any desiredtemperature. The vessel B is fixed in briclework over a fire-place orfurnace, I). Flues P from this hre-place, after passing around theeggshaped or conical bottom B1, extend around the annular casin g Mnearly to the top, and thence to the chimney or shaft. The pipe L isconnected with a cistern for containing water or any liquor or solutionrequired in preparing or washing the materials operated upon in thecage, which Water or liquor can be boiled or heated by steam orotherwise.

The operations are conducted as follows The cage A is filled with thewood or other fibers, which are pressed down as evenly as possible,without making them too hard or close. The cage is then lowered into thecylindrical vessel B. The packing C is properly arranged and the domedspreader J fixed over the cage. The top cover B2 is then screwedA downand made steam-tight. The taps and valves must be closed and the vesselmade steam-tightin all parts. After this has been done steam of anydesired pressure is admitted by the pipe K. The waste-pipeF is thenopened to permit the exit of the condensed water and a slight escape ofsteam, which will regulate the pressure during the operation. Thiscondensed liquor will be found to contain the greater portion of thecoloring matter, resin, silica, or other substances extracted from thewood or other fibers or materials operated upon, and this liquid iscollected in a vessel, to be afterward evaporated or otherwise treatedas may be required. rIhese condensed liquors may be used for varioususeful purposes. That obtained from wood may be used in the manufactureof soap, resin, size, and other articles of commerce. The condensedliquor from straw, esparto grass, iiax, and other fibers which contain aconsiderable quantity of starch, deXtrine, silica, wax, and gummymatters may be advantageously used for feeding cattle. That liquor whichcontains the largest proportion of silica may be used also in themanufacture of soap and for mixing with clay and other materials, forthe purpose of giving hardness to bricks for building purposes.

When, by the conditon of the water of condensation it is found that thematerials have been sufficiently operated upon, the steam is shut off,the waste-pipe closed, and the steam in the vessel B allowed tocondense; or it may be condensed by artificial means, or drawn oif withthe air by the air-pump which is attached to the pipe G. By this means avacuum or partial vacuum is obtained in the vessel B. At this stage ofthe operation hot or cold water (or any suitable solution) is admittedto the vessel B through the pipe L from the aforesaid cistern, and isforced through the mass of fibers by atmosphericpressure. The pipes fromthe cistern and to the airpump are then closed,the annular vessel islled with water and heated, and a fire is lighted in the furnace P toboil the water or liquor in the is to be regulated by the safety-valveI-I. When the liquor boils a circulation is established andy maintainedin the vessel, the liquor flowing up the pipe I against the domedspreader J, being thereby distributed over the entire surface of thematerials and percolating between them. When the material has beensufficiently boiled the fire is withdrawn, the annular vessel M emptied,and the liquor drawn off from the inner vessel B, (preferably by anair-pump.) When all the liquor is drawn off, and a partial or completevacuum is formed in the inteor of the said vessel, a fresh supply ofwater is admitted through the pipe L for washing the fibers, and is alsodrawn off, these operations being repeated until the material issufficiently washed. rlhe cover B2 of the vessel B is then removed. Thecage A containing the material is taken out or emp tied in any suitablemanner, and the operations on a fresh quantity of ber or other materialcan then be recommenced.

If the material thus treated is required for the manufacture ofpaper-pulp it can be prepared in the usual manner, and may be furtheroperated upon in a beating-en gine to bring it into a properconditionforbleaching. Thebleachingcan be efected by the ordinaryprocesses; butIprefer, during the time this operation is carried on, topass a stream of carbonio-acid gas and atmospheric air through thematerial and bleaching liquor. I thereby greatly accelerate the actionofthe bleach and diminish the quantity required. In some cases, and forparticular fibers, I use the chlorine gas, chlorine water, or chloriteand chlorate salts as bleaching agents. After being washed the bleachedpulp is ready for the subsequent ordinary operations employed in themanufacture of paper. When the fibers or materials operated upon in thevessel B are not to be used for the manufacture of paper, but arerequired for other purposes, such materials, after being removed fromthe cage A, are ready for scutching, cleaning, washing, bleaching, orother treatment, as may be required, which operations may be conductedinY the ordinary manner. For the manufacture of paper pulp for sale, thematerial, before or after being bleached, may be made into boards,whichA are pressed, chiied, and packed in bales or cases.

Other materials not required for paper manufacture can either befinished in the ordinary manner, or pressed, dried, and baled forshipment.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form orconstruction of the apparatus or details of operation herein described,but may make such variations therein as will facilitate theaccomplishment under any circumstances of the object of my invention;and I am aware that a stationary concentric case or cage has been beforeused in a cylinder; such I do not claim.

I claim- 1. The apparatus for reducing the wood to small laments,shavings, or pieces, constructed and operating substantially as setforth.

2. The extraction of coloring matter and other substances from filamentsof wood and vegetable fiber by subjecting the same to the action ofsteam in a removable cage, A, having a perforated bottom tted Within theclosed cylinder B, with packing c interposed between the cage A andcylinder B, arranged and operating as herein shown and set forth.

3. The steam-pipe K with its bent arm K', in combination with the domeJ, removable cage ing and passing through the mass a stream ofcarbonio-acid gas and atmospheric air combined, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

7. The process of bleaching fiber, by subjecting the same to the actionof chlorine gas or salts, in combination with carbonio-acid gas andatmospheric air, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM RIDDELL.

Witnesses:

LEON DE LAviLLE, E. C. JAoKsoN.

